The bullying of academics follows a pattern of horrendous, Orwellian elimination rituals, often hidden from the public. Despite the anti-bullying policies (often token), bullying is rife across campuses, and the victims (targets) often pay a heavy price.
"Nothing strengthens authority as much as silence." Leonardo da Vinci - "All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men [or good women] do nothing." Edmund Burke

May 09, 2009

I'm facing the same thing...

I'm facing the same thing and as a first year teacher I have had numerous visits to the doctor and was on a thirty day leave of absence. I filed a formal complaint and no action was taken. Now I'm in the grievance process and the Principal just told me today that she is writing to the superintendent requesting my contract be non-renewal. There goes my entire career and I want to sue the DOE for not doing something months ago before it got this bad. I feel so alone on this journey and am looking for any sort of help and/or ideas.

11 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Get out and go do something else--fast. The fact that you've been targeted already means that you've lost. This is a fight you will *never* win, no matter what you do. The bad guys will continue until you are gone.

The only victory you can achieve is by leaving on *your* terms, not theirs. Do it as soon as possible. It'll be cheaper and easier, as well as better for your reputation.

Stay and fight? Why? Will it make any difference to the overall situation. No. Will people be grateful for one's sacrifice? Hardly. Will one acquire a reputation for being a champion against the evil hordes? Not in the slightest--in fact, one will be seen as a perpetual troublemaker, and any good and noble reputation one hopes to have will be shredded.

I left the system after slugging it out for several years. The only purpose that remaining as long as I did actually served me was that I was able to earn a bit more money during that time and add to my financial portfolio.

I'm on my own now and living comfortably, doing what *I* want. I don't have to put up with idiotic office politics. I don't have to kowtow to and grovel before apprentice tyrants. I no longer have to endure the annual floggings known as performance appraisals. I don't have to commute any more and I can work my own hours at *my* pleasure, not someone else's.

There are times when I wish I was back in the system, but just thinking about what I endured, both teaching and as a grad student, makes me glad to be out of it. (It helps to frequently remind myself with these magic words: it's not *my* problem any more.)

Do I worry about those who're left behind. Not at all. Nobody's forcing them to work in the system, so if they have any problems, they chose to be subjected to them. They have the option to leave and by staying, they accept their circumstances.

I strongly disagree. The provocateurs are always testing the waters for various triggers and things that "work". If this person just gets up and leaves without a fight, that gives them a sense of victory and dominance. I say stand your ground... try to tough it out a little more. Be a pain in their ass. Make them *earn* their victory. Make them struggle, and feel pain in the process. If you give up, they will follow you to your next place of "least resistance" and make your life miserable there. Train yourself to ignore these losers.

Resistance is futile. Remember that. It's one of the fundamental laws the the universe.

No matter what one does, the bad guys will *always* win. Remember that, too. Just because what they do is against regulations, unethical, or possibly even illegal doesn't mean they won't do it. Even if one takes action against them, and actually wins, they will continue their war, perhaps in a subtle, low-key manner. (Constructive dismissal, anyone?)

Why give them the satisfaction of fighting back? Their objective isn't just to drive someone out but to ruin one's life. That same person living under a bridge would bring those baddies the greatest joy.

So can one do? How about getting away from their influence? Quit. Take up a different occupation. Go back to school and learn something different. Start up a business. Retire. Do anything where they can't possibly do any harm.

Remember what Oscar Wilde said: "Living well is the best revenge." Success and prosperity despite all that they did to someone will drive them up the wall. It shows that they didn't win after all and, possibly, contributed to that same success.

Been there. Done that. Chuckled with glee at the thought of my former tormentors turning various shades of purple when they likely found out that I did well for myself *after* I quit.

***********************************************the best result you can hope for 12 May, 2009

Take your solicitor's advice. It is the best result you will ever get. A small payoff and a glowing reference, will give you peace of mind and the chance to take another job elsewhere in the future. You won't get a better result.***************************************************

El Cid, what is right for one individual is not necessarily right for everybody else.

There are many truisms in what you state and argue. It is also true that in some case, perhaps not many, victims have also scored victories.

It has also been argued - and there is much validity in this too - that the victim even if he/she wins, they have in fact lost so much already.

I suppose I am trying to highlight the danger of arguing that there is only one 'universal' truth, i.e. the victim always ends up losing if he/she fights on. Such absolute positions are neither completely true nor completely right.

For example, we won our case in a manner that is still causing damage to our ex-employer - something we enjoy watching from the sidelines. This is after a three year battle that could have cost us much more than just money.

Instead of focusing the emphasis on some notion of the 'resistance is futile' position, why not try to help those who want to go ahead and take on the bullies?

I know and expect your reply BUT even this blog would have not been here had we not had some notion of fighting on.

We respect your experiences but we wish to leave all conclusions wide open to circumstances particular to individual cases. Yes, there is some inevitability in the formula right now, but just the same there is also more awareness than there was some years ago. We have always argued that the first step towards change is raising awareness. We do have a long way to go, but we prefer this long and hard way than no way - which seems to be your only suggestion.

We have to respect those that came before us and took on the system, the Tim Fields of this world... One day a magic moment will come and a spark will trigger massive change. Momentum is just not there yet...

The general public couldn't care less what happens in post-secondary educational institutions, so long as the rewards they derive from them continue. Look at what happened with some of the recent financial scandals. When the returns were good, few people, if any, asked questions as to whether the returns on investment were legitimate so long as they stayed high and kept coming.

If the general public was so concerned about such issues, why are turnouts at elections so poor, when the participation by, maybe, 20% of eligible voters is considered high?

There have been incidents at a number of campuses in the last year or so. The reaction by the public is "tsk tsk" and what happened was then promptly forgotten. After all, there are sports playoffs and reality TV show finals to worry about, aren't there?

OK, you made your point. Apologies, but we agree to disagree. Now please let us move on with our own 'deception'. We wish to continue fighting and make no apology for this. This is what we enjoy. You do as you wish, we do as we wish. No hard feelings.

Don't stay and fight. People are evil, especially in groups and when there is a lot of money at stake. Leave now before you become psychiatrically ill and physically injured. I have 25 years of dealing with severely personality disordered "professionals" and they are extremely dangerous. Our society supports these people. You will not win.

• Bad Apple Bullies - If you work as a teacher in Queensland, a Bad Apple Bully principal can destroy your health and your career with malicious gossip and secret sticky-notes.

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• Bully Online - Those who can, do. Those who can't, bully. Bully OnLine is the world's leading web site on workplace bullying and related issues which validates the experience of workplace bullying and provides confirmation, reassurance and re-empowerment.

• Suppression of dissent - The general field of "suppression of dissent" includes whistleblowing, free speech, systems of social control and related topics. The purpose of the site is to foster examination of these issues and action against suppression. It is founded on the assumption that openness and dialogue should be fostered to challenge unaccountable power.

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• CAFAS The Council for Academic Freedom and Academic Standards - It is a group dedicated to maintaining standards of integrity and practice in academia, to exposing breaches in those standards and to supporting the victims of those breaches.

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• The Workplace Bullying Institute is the sole United States organization dedicated to the eradication of workplace bullying through public education, help for individuals, employer solutions and legislative advocacy.